Chicken brooder



May 19, 1936. J. w. CRAWFORD CHI CKEN BROODER Filed sep't. 15, 1955 3 :sheets-sheenl 2 N Q' @c R 5 n @ci :H m nu K1 2-:1

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ATTORNEYS.

May 19, 1936. Y .I w. CRAWFORD' 2,041,049 v CHICKEN BROODER Filed sept. les, 1953 s sheets-sheet s INVENTOR. (JO/1N IM C'wwfoo.

Patented May 19, 1936 i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to chicken brooders, and has as an object the provision of a structure which lends itself to the provision of a battery brooder in that two or more sections or brooding compartments may be provided.

'Ihe invention furthermore has as an object the provision of a structure of simplified nature which may advantageously be of all metal construction and which may be very readily shipped or handled in knocked-down condition and easily assembled or set up. In this regard the brooder is one preferably of a multi-sided type composed largely of a number of like units with each unit constituting a side. A number of such multisided arrangements may be placed in superimposed relation to provide the battery brooder although it is within the invention to use but a single compartment where the large capacity of a battery brooder is not needed nor desired. Another feature of the invention is the provision of simple and adequate means for heating and Ventilating the brooder. A further object is the provision of a feed gauge device, particularly for very young chicks. These and other objects will be more readily appreciated as the detailed description is followed in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a battery brooder.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view illustrating one shape the multi-sided brooder may take and the relation thereto of the Ventilating pipe.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken substantially on line 3 3 of Fig. 1 showing various structural details.

Fig. 4 is a view on line 4 4 of Fig. 3 showing a part of the front side of one of the units with Some parts in section and some parts cut away.

Fig. 5 is a front View of a unit with some parts cut away looking in the direction of the arrows 5 5 of Fig. 1. Y

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view on line 6 6 of Fig.' 3 showing the features of one of the units. Y Y

Fig. '7 is an enlarged detail in section of two rear joint structures as shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a View largely in section showing a front joint structure.

Fig. 9 is a view taken substantially on line 9 9 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a view taken substantially on line Ill-I of Fig. 8.

Fig. 11 is a detail view of structure shown in Fig. 3 showing a feed tray and the feed gauge 55- for small chicks. Y

(Cl. 11S-17) Fig. 12 is a perspective View showing the chick feed gauge detached.

Fig. 13 is a sectional View showing a modied arrangement. Y

As above mentioned the brooder may be of multi-sided type and the particular form shown herein is of Octagon shape. As illustrated inv Fig. 2 there are a-plurality of sections or units I and the structure may be supported by vertical posts 2, one at each corner of a section or unit. These posts may bepipes.

Fig. 6 shows the structure of a unit; it comprises essentially a frame member 3 which may be of strap iron or of other suitable metal fashioned to form a side 4, another side 6, and a front part l. One end of the member may be fashioned to traverse the area thus forming spaced braces 8, connected together by a bight portion which may abut and be welded to the front part 1. A back portion is formed as shown and the extreme ends of the member 3 may be spot welded orotherwise secured to the portions forming the back 5. The units on either side are provided with similar frame members to which the same reference characters are applied. These frame members are attached to the supports 2. The method of attachment at the twopoints in the rear is the same, and the method of attachment at the two front posts is the same, and therefore a description of one of each will suic'e. At the rear, an angle bracket I0 is provided for taking against a post 2 and bolts l I extend through the bracket through another bracket I2 on the opposite side of the post and through two adjacent frame members, the entire arrangement being clamped to the post by nuts I3. The rear of each section may be closed by a screen i4 wrapped around the inside posts to close the back side of all sections of one compartment. At the front a bracket 20 Vmay 'be provided which has a bight portion 2I fitting around the post 2. A curved bolt 22 passes around the post 2 opposite the bight portion and the post is clamped by nuts 23 screwed onto the ends of the bolt. The bolt 22 passes through opposite parts of the bracket 20 and through opposite frame members 3. The bracket 20 may be of strap iron similar to that of the frame 3.

A main wire or rod 25 may extend entirely around all of the sections and it may be suspended by suspension links 26 supported by the bolts 22 (Figs. 9 and 10). As will be noted by reference to Fig. 3, the main wire 25 lies below the frame of a section and the bracket I0 extends down below the frame. A number of rods 30 may be supported by the brackets and the rod as shown in Fig. 3. One end of each rod Ymay be angularly disposed so as to pass'through an aperture in the bracket l0 with the end 3l abutting against the bracket whereasjthe other end may be in the form of a hook 32 around the wire 25. There may be two of such rods 30 in each section as shown in Fig. 6 and dropping pans 33 may be slid into position and supported by these rods. These rods 3l! are preferably a little short Vso as to tension the rod 25 and make for a tight secure assembly. These pans are preferably of flat sheet metal having a shape corresponding to the frame of a section and of such size that their edges overlap as illustrated by the dash and` dot lines in Fig. 6. The forward edge of each pan ispreferably bent upwardly to form a flange 34 which may advantageously abut and seal against the outer side 1 of the frame. A suitable screen floor 35Y may be positioned on the frames and it will be understood that the sides of the units are not separated'sc that the chicks have the run of a complete circle.

Yover brackets 20 (Fig. 4).

An openable door may be provided for each unit. These doors may be of open or grate like structure as at 40 (Fig. 5), and are preferably swung by links 4| from the rods 3l). The bottom cross wire 43 may extend far enough out to abut against the posts as shown. Feeding pans` or trays 42, one for each section may be placed upon the brackets 2Q with the door depending'to the rear ofthe pans as shown in Fig. 3. ,Each tray may be positioned properlyV by brackets 44 Vtting To open a door the links 4l may be pushed rearwardly on the rods 30 sufficiently toY permit the bottom of the door to clear the feeding pan and then the door may be swung upwardly and outwardly.

rIfhe special chick feedrgauge device comprises a sheet metal member 45 provided with a number of apertures 46. This member has a curved portion 41, and a curved support is provided for this portion to permit of adjustment. I'his support may advantageously take the form of a plurality of parallel wires 48 attached together by cross rods 49 suitably fastened to the parallel rods'by spot welding or the like'and some ci' the wires, as at 50, may extend above the others and have loops or hooks at their upper ends for passing over the main wire 25 as illustrated at 5 I( (Fig. 3).

The wires 48 have curved portions 52 over which the curved part 41 adjustably fits. A suitable tension device Vin the form of a bolt `with a knurled head may extendk through th sheet metal member 45 and when tightened, a coil spring56 effects a frictional gripping between the part 41'and parts 52. Very young chicks may squeeze their smallrbodies between the wires of the doors since their bodies can pass through most Yanything they can get their heads through and for such small chicks the feed gauge may be Yused inplace of the door and adjusted as shown in Fig. ll'in which event the chicks may pass theirrbeaks through the apertures 46 whenfeedprojecting fingers 6l fashioned `'around therod 49.

It will be appreciated how posts of different heights may be used depending upon the number of brooders which are desired to be superimposed ane over the other. Ventilation may be provided by a center pipe 62 in which an air propelling Yfan 63 may be provided as illustrated Yin Fig. '1.

This pipe preferably has air inlets 64 advantageously positioned to remove air from each section, and exhaust outlets 65. In this manner air 5 Vis circulated through the superimposed compartments with the general direction of air movement from the outside toward the inside and through the pipe. Y

The brooder may be heated by heatingrpipes for 1 hot water or steam, the inlet of -which may be at 10 connecting a header 1I and the outlet at 12 connecting into aV header pipe 13. Circulating pipes 14 may extend around the entire structure connecting into the header pipes. For the pur- 1 pose of suspending the pipes in proper Yposition a Vsuspension link 15 may be fastened to each ofthe bolts 22 and arranged to carry the pipes as illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10. In this connection the wires 48 may be formed to clear the pipesY asv shown in Fig. 3.' Y

The structure shown in Fig. 13 illustrates a door structure and brooderrstructure which may be used -for laying hens. The'oor, asshown, may be inclined. The door 40a may be of the gra-te structure as illustrated in Fig. 5, but the bottom portion may have an inwardly extending cover part 80. The eggs may roll on the inclined floor and come to rest underneath the protecting ledge 80 as illustrated.

Thus it will beY observed that a brooder vcronstructed in accordance with the invention., is madeup of a number of like units placed together to form a multi-sided brooder and that to obtain a battery type brooder a desirednumber of vcompartments may be superimposed one upon the other. This brooder'is designed to beplaced in a suitable room vor building either alone or with other brooders. fThe chicks in each section have a complete run around the floor and are easily 4 accessible by reason of the door at the front of each unit. 'I'he chick feed gauge may be used withV very small chicks and a. proper Vadjustment may be made from time to time. The feed gauge may beV used with or without a door. Preferably 4 for baby chicks the doors are not used. When the brooder is used for broilers or larger chicks the door may be used without the feed gauge and when the brooder is used for laying hens a door structure such as illustrated in Fig. 1.3 may be 5 used. If a` user is only concerned with using the brooder for small chicks such user may need only have the feed gauge device; or if the user is concerned with broilers he may use only the door structure as illustrated in Fig. 3 without the feed 5 gauge; likewise if the user is only interested in laying hens the Fig. 13V arrangement may beA all Y the equipment that is necessary. All ofthe parts may be readily disassembled and cleaned vand likewise the brooder -is easily set up and may be 60 shipped to the user in knocked-down condition. An advantageous way of feeding and watering is Y to have water in one of the troughs of a section or compartment and food in the other troughs.

I claim: Y

1. A brooder comprising, a plurality of outer posts substantially equally spaced from each other and all substantially equidistant from a common center, a plurality of inner posts substantially equally spaced from each other and substantially equidistant from said common center, there being one inner post for each outer post, and the corresponding inner and outer posts being disposed on a radial line, a plurality of trapezoidal shaped supporting frames disposed between each group '5 of four posts and in vertically spaced relation and arranged to form a elo-sed area and defining an open area between the inner posts and the said common center, clamping means for engaging around each post and each holding the adjacent corners of two of the supporting frames secured to the post, a screen floor for the supporting frames, 4a screen closure wall supported adjacent the inner posts, supporting elements carried by the clamping means and underlying the supporting frames, pans slidably received on the supporting elements with one pan underlying each screen floor, door supporting means extending between each two outer posts, and a door swingably depending from each door supporting means and extending downwardly into close proximity to the next lower supporting frame.

2. A brooder comprising, a plurality of outer posts substantially equally spaced from each other and all sub-stantially equidistant from a common center, a plurality of inner posts substantially equally spaced from each other and substantially equidistant from said common center, there being one inner post for each outer post, and the corresponding inner and outer posts being disposed on a radial line, a plurality of trapezo-idal shaped supporting frames disposed between each group of four posts and in vertically spaced relation and arranged to form a closed area and defining an open area between the inner posts and the said common center, clamping means for engaging around each post and each holding the adjacent corners o-f two of the supporting frames secured to the post, a screen floor for the supporting frames, a screen closure wall supported adjacent the inner posts, supporting elements carried by the clamping means and underlying the supporting frames, pans slidably received o-n the supporting elements with one pan underlying each screen floor, door supporting means extending between each two other posts, and a door swingably depending from each door supporting means and extending downwardly into clo-se proximity to the next lower supporting frame, said doors being of open construction, the said clamping means for the outer posts having supporting extensions projecting o-utwardly from the posts, and feed trays supported by said extensions and each extending substantially from one outer post to another so that the same is accessible 'through the open construction of the door.

3. A brooder comprising, a plurality of outer posts substantially equally spaced from each other and all substantially equidistant from a common center, a plurality of inner post substantially equally spaced from each other and substantially equidistant from said common center, there being one inner post for each outer post, and the corresponding inner and outer posts being disposed on a radial line, a plurality of of trapezoidal shaped supporting frames disposed between each group of four posts and in vertically spaced relation and arranged to form a closed area and defining an open area between the inner posts and the said common center, clamping means for engaging around each post and each holding the adjacent corners of two of the supporting frames secured to the post, a screen floor for the supporting frames, a screen closure wall supported adjacent the inner posts, supporting elements carried by the clamping means and underlying the supporting frames, pans slidably received on the supporting elements with one pan underlying each screen floor, door supporting means extending between each two outer posts, and a door swing-ably depending from each door supporting means and extending downwardly into close proximity to the next lower supporting frame, each pan having an upwardly extending flange at its edge adjacent the outer posts adapted to contact againstthe supporting frame immediately thereabove for closing the screen floor on said supporting means to drafts.

4. In a brooder, the combination of a compartment defined on one side by grill work, a feed trough outside the grill work having one wall positioned next adjacent the grill work, a supporting device positioned substantially above the feed trough, said device having supporting means of curved form, with the curvature substantially on a horizontal axis extending in a direction substantially parallel to the grill work and feed trough, said curved supporting means overlying the feed trough, a member having a curved portion substantially fitting the curved supporting means, means for adjustably holding said member on said curved supporting means, said member being adjustable by movement relative to the supporting means substantially around said alxis, said member having a lower edge adapted, in one position o-f adjustment, to substantially close against the said one wall of the trough whereby to overlie the feed in the trough, and in another position of adjustment to be remote from the said one wall of the trough to ex- 'pose the feed therein, said member having a plurality of feed apertures therein for small chicks, and through which the chicks may feed when the member is in the first mentioned position of adjustment and which are of such size as to prevent the escape of chicks that may get through the grill work, the said member providing for the feeding of relatively large chicks and hens when adjusted to the second named position.

J OI-IN W. CRAWFORD. 

